Rocky beaches. Colorful lighthouses. Scenic coves. Fresh seafood.

Best of all, we had much cooler weather during our recent two-week trip to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Toronto. Instead of sweltering in North Carolina, we were wearing sweatshirts in the evening,

It took us less than two hours to fly from Durham to Toronto, where we stayed overnight before flying on to Halifax, the main city in Canada’s eastern Maritime Provinces. We then followed an itinerary similar to the one shown on the map.

In Halifax, we strolled along the waterfront, admired the public gardens and toured the historic Citadel atop the city. At the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, we lingered at exhibits describing how Halifax responded to the sinking of the Titanic, welcoming survivors and burying victims. The museum also described the massive 1917 ship explosion that devastated the city, the largest human-made blast prior to Hiroshima.

We then drove west to three scenic towns: Peggy’s Cove (above), Lunenburg and Mahone Bay. Morning fog obscured our view of the famous lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove, but we walked along the granite rocks around it, waves crashing beside us.

Lunenberg is a Unesco World Heritage Centre that blends a British colonial vibe with colorful houses, artist studios and local seafood. We spent the night nearby in Mahone Bay, another small harbor filled with private boats.

We then turned north to the Bay of Fundy, which separates Nova Scotia from New Brunswick. It has the world’s highest tides but we were even more impressed by its simple pleasures — lighthouses, hiking trails, a colonial site and the quaint inn where we stayed in Annapolis Royal.

Then it was on to Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest but most densely populated province. We drove there across the Confederation Bridge, the country’s longest, and stayed in the capital, Charlottetown. “Densely populated” is a misnomer since everything in PEI felt intimate and relaxed. We spent our favorite day there hiking atop a floating boardwalk on the Greenwich Dunes Trail (above), followed by lobster rolls in Souris and visits to a whimsical village made from bottles and another lighthouse, this one at Point Prim.

We left PEI by ferry, crossing back into Nova Scotia and heading to Cape Breton Island at its eastern end. Cape Breton’s rugged coastline is encircled by the Cabot Trail, a tourist highlight that we drove with frequent stops for views, a Buddhist monastery and two hikes, notably the Skyline Trail that overlooks the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The next day we drove to The Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, where costumed reenactors amused and informed us for several hours. 

We concluded our Canadian trip with several days in Toronto, getting our fix of urban life before heading back to Durham. As usual, we began with a free walking tour to see some highlights and get oriented. Then we visited the Art Gallery of Ontario. We took a harbor boat tour. We ate dumplings in Chinatown, cannoli in Little Italy and ice cream in the Distillery District. We visited the Hockey Hall of Fame, even though neither of us is a hockey fan, and we enjoyed that, too.

It was an easy and fun two weeks. “Canada Nice” was genuine; everyone we met was friendly, and diverse, too, especially in Toronto. We used our U.S. cell phones, paid for almost everything with my credit card and only needed my U.S. driver’s license and insurance to rent a car. 

In short, Canada was cool. Especially during August.